US Vice President Vance Threatens Sanctions and Military Action Should Russia Turn Down a Peace Deal for Ukraine

If Putin rejects a peace agreement that guarantees Ukraine’s independence, US Vice President JD Vance has threatened sanctions and military action.

If Russian President Vladimir Putin rejects a peace agreement that would guarantee Ukraine’s long-term independence, US Vice President JD Vance has threatened to apply sanctions and perhaps explore military action against Moscow. The statement highlights Trump’s administration’s strong position on the current war and was published by the Wall Street Journal on Thursday.

In an interview with the newspaper, Vance stated, “There are economic tools of leverage and, of course, military tools of leverage.” “We care about Ukraine’s sovereign independence, regardless of the various configurations and formulations.”

Vance’s comments come after conversations between US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Wednesday. Trump instructed authorities to begin negotiations to put an end to the war, which has been going on for almost three years. Some Ukrainians are worried that Trump would jeopardize their interests in talks with Russia as a result of the decision, which has caused anxiety in Kyiv.

The calls were made soon after US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth informed Ukraine’s military partners in Brussels that it was not practical to return Ukraine to its pre-2014 boundaries, prior to Russia’s annexation of Crimea. Additionally, he said that a conflict resolution did not include Kyiv joining NATO.

Trump told reporters at the White House that Ukraine will be intimately participating in any peace talks, despite the uncertainties. Ukrainian authorities, however, maintained their caution, stating that it was too soon to start negotiations with Moscow.

Vance said that a deal may be reached that would surprise many, hinting to a major change in US policy. “I believe a deal that will be struck out of this will surprise a lot of people,” he stated.

Vance emphasized that Trump is amenable to conversations, but he also recognized that policy changes might be made depending on how the discussions go. “Look, we don’t want this thing, we might not like this thing, but if the Russians aren’t being good negotiating partners, or there are things that are very important to Ukrainians that we might want to take off the table, we’re willing to put it back on the table,” he continued.

The world community is still keeping a close eye on the discussions’ progress and if they will result in a long-term settlement of the dispute as diplomatic efforts continue.